The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-26

H. "A
THE SUN, 81
| definite aims, beyond the more overthrow o
those In powor." Il was significant that TIL
| Wing National Convention did nothing bu
| name candidate; II adopted no platform
| passed no resolutions. issued no address. pu
| forth no programme OF policy" This wa
strictly in the line with Clay's personal ut
tempts 10 propitiate everybody, and Mr.. schuri
Is doubtless right In thinking that 1T was thu
consciousness OF having sacrificed much Of hi
dignity in vain that famed Clay's fury when hi
heard Of his defeat"
The extraordinary victory Of the Wings II
1840-it will be remembered that thoy had 231
out OF 294 electoral votes-should, according
to the precedents furnished By similar reac'
lions, have assured to them control OF the
country for at least eight years. But for the
early death Of Harrison and tho betrayal Of
his party by Tyler. they would doubtless have
retained suflciont strength to elect Clay Presi-
dent In 1874. when his nomination was de-
mandod and obtained BY his friends as q
matter Of justice. Even Websters influence
could not restrain the Wings Of Massachusetts,
from supporting tho man who after nearly
forty years of public service had just made in
the Senate what he then believed to DO valo-
dictory speech. The nomination Of Clay by the
Whig National Convention ut Baltimore did In
fact, require no ballot; It was carried with a
shout. But In the course Of the canvass II
turned out that tho questions with which Clay
had been all his life conspiouously associated
had lost much Of their interest for the people.
Both Clay and Van Buren,, who. 1t was sup
posed. would bs the opposing candidate, had
hoped to prevent the annexation Of Texas from
becoming an issue In tho campaign, but this
proved impossible after Tyler had made CAL
houn Secretary of State and the latter had sent
to the Senate an annexation treaty. Thon the
outrageous attempt Of the Shareholders to cen-
sure tho veteran John Quincy Adams for pre-
senting An Abolitionist petition. and tho actual
censure of Giddings for the same offence had
given great impulse to tho anti-slavery senti-
mont in the Northern States, and particularly
In the pivotal State Of New York The So
called Liberty party. which had already.
in 1910. put forward candidates, now. to tho
special annoyance Of Clay's friends, nominated
Birney, o native Of Kentucky. and himself By
inheritance stakeholder. who had liberated
his slaves, practical proof Of aversion to
slavery, which Clay. when appealed to at pub
lilo meeting. had recently refused to make.
Nevertheless. Clay could have sustained some
losses in tho North, had Van Buren, boon nomi-
mated by the Democratic party, which would
then have had to cope with much disaffec-
ton in the South and West. But, a.
It IL well known. Van Buren was
thrust aside for Polk in tho Democratic Con-
vention through tho opposition OF Calhoun and
the advocates Of annexation. and the appics-
ton Of the rwo-thirds rule. As 1t was, Clay
lost New York by only some 5000 votes, or less
than third Of the number cast In that State
for Birney, the candidate Of tho Liberty party.
He lost Pennsylvania, which. AZ lifelong and
leading champion Of protection. he should
have been sure of. through the SILLY ory Of
Polk. Dallas. and tho tariff Of 1872"
which. IS Mr.. schurn remarks. symbolized
"one Of the most audactous political frauds
in our history" How fraudulent the CRY was
the Pennsylvania proteotionists did not have to
wait long to discover for in two years the
Democrats had repealed the tariff Of 1912
through the casting vote Of George N. Dallas.
The defeat which put an end to tho political
prospects. II not altogether to the hopes, Of
Henry Clay was for him embittered by the
knowledge that 1t could not have occurred
but for his own tactical mistake In writing the
Alabama letter" to reassure the Southern
Wings. but which repealed sufficient votes in
New York to Just turn tho scale against him.
It Is true that in 1s4s there seemed to be an
other chance for Clay, for the Wing Convention
did not meet until after the Democratic Con-
vention had made the fatal errors OF estrang-
ing the Barnburners and nominating Cass
against the protest Of . powerful section OF the
party in New York. which again. as in 1874,
was to prove pivotal But 1t was to be again
Clays fate. as It had been In 1910 and 1874, to
be eclipsed by a military hero. In the Wing
Convention majority even OF the Kentucky
delegation voted for Gen, Taylor. whose opin-
ions with reference to tho extension OF slavery
and the other leading questions Of the hour
were entirely unknown. No wonder Clay
should have informed his friends that he would
do nothing to support Taylors candidacy. and
that Webster should have pronounced It "one
not ft to be made"
There is no doubt that Clay's resolution at
this time to retire from public life was believed
by him to be irrevocable. But he was to die in
harness.. Rogretting tho treatment Of Clay BY
the Kentucky delegation In the Wing National
Convention, the Kentucky Legislature unani-
mously elected him to the Senate for q full
term. and he accepted the charge. When he re-
entered the Senate In December. 1S49. he met
Webster and Calhoun for tho last time. and his
own death was not far of. Like the Missouri
Compromise Of 1920 and the tariff compro-
rest mainly on Clsy's shoulders. Nor can we
better conclude this outline Of Clay's life or at
the same time exemplify more strikinely what
seems to US tho singular merit Of this biogra.
ply than by quoting Mr.. Schurz's description
Of the eliminating. though not quite the clos
ing. scene Of Clay's remarkable career. when In
hio seventy third year he appeared In tho Sem
alto on July "a, 1850. to mako his final. and, as
it proved conclusive plea on behalf Of a COM
promise which he trusted would assure tho
safety OF the Union.
Ever since Jan. 2s he had been on the floor
almost day after day. sometimes so Ill that he
could hardly drag his tottering limbs to the
Senate Chamber. He had thrown aside all
sectional spirit. Sir he exclaimed once. I
have heard something said about allegiance to
the South. I know no South. no North, no
East no West to which owe my allegiance
Whatever may be said Of the wisdom Of his
policy. his motives had never been more patri-
otto and unselflsh. He was no longer o can
didate for the Presidency. The old man felt
that his endeavors must find their reward In
a